281. In what building in the city of Washington does Congress hold its meetings?

A. In the Capitol, which is one of the finest edifices in America.

282. Who executes the laws passed by Congress?

A. The President, with the aid of the other officers of government.

283 Who is the President of the United States?

A. The chief magistrate, or head of the government.

284 By whom is he chosen to that office?

A. The people of the United States.

285. During what period does he hold his office?

A. He holds his office during the term of four years.

286. What forms the American nation?

A. The whole of the people of the United States.

287. The word nation signifies a distinct body of people living nder one governmeut.

288. What is a Country?

A. A large tract of land, a region, one's native soil.

289. What are the boundaries of a country?

A. Those parts of land and water which lie next to the line which separates it from another country.

290. What is the interior of a country?

A. The central or inland parts.

291. What is the frontier of a country?

A. Those parts which lie near the border or boundary, the outside portions.

292. Thus we say, the Northern frontier, the Southern frontier, &c., according as the parts are situated to the North, South, East, or West. 293. What are the maritime parts of a country? A. Those parts which border on the sea coast.

294. Man is the most perfect of the works of God, being created in his own image, and formed by his wisdom, to subdue and exercise dominion over all the earth.

295. From whom has the whole human race descended?

A. From our first parents, Adam and Eve.

296. What does the human race present?

A. Several varieties, differing greatly from each other m colour, form, and features.

297. What is the cause of the varieties in the human race?

A. It is probably owing to a difference in climate, food, and mode of life, and no doubt partly to causes which we do not understand.

298. What are the various races of mankind

A. They are five, the European or Caucasian, Asiatic or Mongolian, American, Malay, and African or negro.

299. How may they be classed in regard to their colour?

A. Into the White, Yellow, Red, Brown, and. Black races. 300. What nations does the European or White race include? A. The nations of Europe, Western Asia, the North of Africa, with all the white inhabitants of America and other regions.

301. What nations does the Asiatic or Yellow race include?

A. All the nations of Asia east of the Ganges river, (excepting the Malays of Malacca.)

302. What other nations belong to this race?

A. The Finns and Laplanders of Europe, and the Esquimaux of America, also belong to the Asiatic race.

303. What part of the earth does the American or copper-coloured race inhabit?

A. The whole of the American continent, except those parts occupied by the descendants of Europeans, with the Esquimaux and Negroes.

304. What nations does the Malay or Brown race include?

A. The people of Malacca and Malaysia, with those of Polynesia and New Zealand.

305. What part of the earth does the African or Black race inhabit ? A. All Western, Central, and Southern Africa, with a considerable part of Madagascar and Australasia.

306. A large number of this race are found in both North and South America, where they are chiefly in a state of slavery.

307. The European or Caucasian is the most noble of the five races of men. It excels all others in learning and the arts, and includes the most powerful nations of ancient and modern times. The most valu ble institutions of society, and the most important and useful invertions have originated with the people of this race.

Which is the most noble of the five races of men?

In what does it excel all others?

What does it include ?

What has originated with the people of this race?

To which of the races of men do the greater part of the people of the United States belong?

To which race do you belong
F

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STAGES OF SOCIETY.

308. Nations live in various stages of society, and their condition s found to depend materially on the progress they have made in know. ledge, learning, and refinement, and in their skill in the mechanic arts. 309. How may nations be divided according to their habits of life and state of improvement?

A. Into five classes, viz: savage, barbarous, half-civilized, civilized, and enlightened.

310. How do men live in the savage state?

A. By hunting, fishing, and on the spontaneous productions of the ground. They are generally clad in the skins of wild animals, and reside in miserable huts, or dens, and caves in the earth.

311. What is the general character of savage nations?

A. They are bloodthirsty and revengeful, often eat the flesh of the enemies they take in war, and treat their women as slaves.

ignorant of reading, writing, and a regular form of govern

ment.

313. What nations are examples of this class?

A. The nations of Australia, or New Holland, and New Guinea, most of the Indian tribes of North and South America, and the Kamtschatdales or people of Kamtschatka. 314. In what manner do barbarous nations live?

A. By agriculture and the pasturage of cattle, sheep, &c. 315. They understand a few of the most simple arts, and are acquainted with reading and writing only to a very limited extent.

316. What nations are examples of this class?

A. The roving tribes of Tartary, Arabia, Central Africa, and the people of Abyssinia.

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317. How are the half-civilized nations distinguished?

A. They understand agriculture and many of the arts olerably well, have written languages, with some knowledge of learning and books.

318. They have also established laws and religion, some little foreign commerce, but are very jealous of strangers, and treat their women generally as slaves.

319. What nations may be considered as belonging to the half civilized class?

A. China, Japan, Birmah, Siam, Turkey, Persia, &c. 320. How are civilized nations distinguished?

A. The arts and sciences are well understood, and the inhabitants derive their subsistence principal. y from agricul ture, manufactures, and commerce.

321. What is the condition of the great body of the people in some civilized states?

A. They are very ignorant and superstitious, and there is likewise a vast difference between the condition of the upper and lower classes of society.

322. What countries rank among the civilized nations?

A. Russia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Mexico, &c.

323. What is the character of enlightened nations?

A. They are noted for the intelligence, enterprise, and industry of their inhabitants; among them also the arts and sciences are carried to a high state of perfection.

324. How are they otherwise noted?

A. Females are treated with politeness and respect, the principles of free government are well understood, and edu cation and learning are more general than among other nations. 325. What nations belong to this class?

A. The United States, Great Britain, France, Switzerland and some of the German States.